On 20 May 2013 the Disciplinary Commission of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee decided to impose a 6 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete Alex Zlatomirov Ivanov after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance methandienone.
Hereafter WADA appealed the decision of the Disciplinary Commission with the Bulgarian Sport Arbitration (BSA) of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee. WADA requested BSA to set aside the decision of the Disciplinary Commission and to impose a 1 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete. WADA argued there were no grounds to impose a less severe sanction on the Athlete.
The Athlete stated that he used multivitamins which were contaminated with the prohibited substance. The Athlete showed he has a chronic disease and therefore acted vigilant with supplements and argued that the prohibited substance is not mentioned as ingredient on the label of the product.
The BSA concludes that the imposed sanction by the Disciplinary Commission does not match in any regulation and has been set in violation with of the rules, due to the found prohibited substance is not listed as specific substance in the WADA 2013 Prohibited List.
Considering the circumstances the Bulgarian Sport Arbitration (BSA) of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee decides to set aside the decision of the Disciplinary Commission of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee and to impose a 1 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 22 April 2013.
